Sheriff McNamara to West protestors: Stay away

West continues to rebuild

West, TX (KWKT) — It has now been six days since the fertilizer explosion in West which has now claimed lives of 15 people.

Day six was a gloomy one. As the winds picked up, so did the federal investigation into last week’s explosion. ATF agents and the Texas State Marshall's office successfully
mapped out the crater left behind by the blast.

“Our investigators were on the scene with a forensic mapper and we were able to map out the size of the
crater itself," said Robert Chapman of the ATF. "The width was 93 feet. The depth was ten feet. We are not at liberty at this time to discuss anything in regards to what may have caused the fire. We are still working that.”

Investigators did say the fire was not started by natural cause.

While officials and numerous government agencies do what they do, volunteers do what they’ve been doing for the past three days: Helping returning residents get essential supplies which donation centers fortunately have plenty of.

“People from all over the world have been so generous and sending donations that we really do have a
good stock of everything. From toiletries to clothes to shoes. We have everything," said Laura Lankford of Pointwest Bank.

Lankford said, "Of course everybody has been needing water and really anything that would be at your house."

Sheriff Parnell McNamara spoke with media today. He has seen the rubble left behind first hand.

“It’s just terrible devastation. There’s so much damage. I don’t know how else to describe it," said McNamara. "I’ve heard it be described as a warzone and that’s what it looks like. The blast was very powerful.”

McNamara also issued a stern warning to the Westboro Baptist Church or any group planning to violently protest
Thursday's memorial service attended by President Obama and dedicated to the fallen.

“Make no mistake about it," declared Sheriff McNamara. "Any attempt by any group or any organization to disrupt the funerals of any victims of this tragedy will be dealt with swiftly and to the fullest extent of that law. I’ve contacted
District Attorney Abel Reyna and he has assured me his cooperation in this manner. We’re simply not
going to tolerate that.”